The Feasibility Study Of Relationship Between Vigor And Plant Nutrition Of Veteran Platycladus Orientalis Trees

Monitoring of the veteran trees’health is the key for preserving them. In order to test the idea that the nutrient diagnosis method can be used to judge the veteran trees’health status, the veteran oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco) trees growing in Zhongshan Park, Beijing were studied in this project. The trees were first classified into four groups based on their ages and health conditions. Samples of soils surrounding the trees, roots, and leaves were collected in June2011and January2012, respectively. The concentrations of macronutrients of those samples were analyzed and the results were analyzed using statistical methods. The results show:(1) The pH, water content, and the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg of soils were not significantly different both in growing season and dormant season.There were no significant differences in different ages about macronutrients.(2) In samples of roots, except for the concentration of K was significantly different both in growing season and dormant season and the concentration of P was significantly different in growing season, the concentrations of other macronutrients were not significantly different.(3) The concentrations of Ca in leaves were significantly different between groups of trees with different ages in the growing season. Differences in concentrations of other macronutrients, chlorophyll, and total soluble sugar in leaves were not significant in different groups of oriental arborvitae trees no matter it was in growing or dormant season.(4) Trees with different ages and vigor did not show differences in absorbing macronutrients from the soil and translocation those macronutrients to foliage.(5) In conclusion, it is difficult to use the concentrations of nutrients of veteran trees to represent their health status. The judgment of their health status has to rely on visual inspection in the near future.